strong



(No Model.) 7

G, H. STRONG. DOLLAR BUTTON.

N0.'511,3'71.v V PatentedDec.26,1893.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE H. STRONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TOBUSHNELL STRONG AND EMILY F. STRONG, OF SAME PLACE.

COLLAR-BUTTON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 511,371, dated December26, 1893.

Application filed April 11, 1893. Serial No. 469,887. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE H. STRONG, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Collar-Buttons, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in collar buttons, and its objectis to securely fasten the button, so that it will be held in positionwith respect to the band and the col- The invention consistssubstantially in the construction illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, set forth in the succeeding specification, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims. I

Like letters refer to the same parts in the several figures of thedrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device with theparts in the position which they assume in use. Fig.2isaverticalsection. Fig. 3 is a side elevation with the guard thrown back so thatthe button is ready for attachment. Fig. 4, is a plan view of the deviceshown in Fig. 1; and, Fig. 5 is a modified form in plan but with theshank of the button in cross section.

It has fallen within the observation of almost every man that collarbuttons as commonly constructed are apt to drop from the band of theshirt and be lost. The purpose of the present invention is to obviatethis difficulty. The collar button is composed of the usual head or bulbA, shank D, and back B, which may be secured together in the customarymanner, but I prefer that the shank should be secured eccentrically tothe back. As shown in the first four figures, a guard O stamped fromsheet metal, or made of wire as shownin Fig. 5, or otherwise constructedis hinged to'a projection from the back or base piece of the collarbutton, and when open, so that the button may be inserted in the shirtband, it assu med a position shown in Fig. 3,but when closed after thebutton has been inserted in such band, it assumes a position shown inthe other figures of the drawings. This guard is shown as provided witha circular opening, but it is obvious that an opening in the shape of asegment of a circle would be sufiicient. I prefer to construct the guardso that a slight pressure will be required to spring it over the bulb orhead of the button. I have found it advantageous to hold the guard inits openor closed position by means of a spring, and this may be wellaccomplished by stamping a piece of the base piece in the form of aspring, and having it project upward so as to rest against a portion ofthe guard adjacent to its pivot. A convenient construction for thispurpose is well shown in Fig. 2 in the section in which the rearportionof the guard is formed with an enlarged journal for the pivot and such journalis flattened both underneath and at the top so that the springwill abut against such flattened surface and hold the guard either inopen or closed position accordingly as such guard is turned to thatposition, the positions of the spring and guard in such positions beingrespectively shown in Figs. 3 and 2 of the drawlu s.

It is obvious that many variations may be made in the construction shownand described without departing from the principle of the invention, andI therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to suchprecise construction.

The operation of the device may be specified as follows :-Taking thebutton as is illustrated in Fig. 3 and passing the bulb and shankthrough the band of the shirt the guard may be then turned in theposition shown in either figures of the drawings with the result thatthe band will have the guard projecting beyond the button hole on itsouter surface and the back or base piece projecting beyond such buttonhole on its under surface, and such guard being securely held inposition by the spring, there will be no dangerof the button droppingout of the band or being lost. If desired the collar may be also securedin place so that it will not become unbuttoned, by passing the bulb andshank through the two ends of the collar as well as through the shirt,and then placing the guard in position. This latter arrangement would beunsightly unless the guard was ornamental, and therefore the latter maybe made ornamental in cases where it is desired to use the device asafastening for the collar as Well as for the band of the shirt. It isobvious moreover that this device may be used in a similar manner at theback of the neck of the shirt, and also to secure cuffs in place on thewristbands of the shirt.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A collar button comprising the usual head, shank and base piece andin addition a guard hinged to such base piece, and a spring bearingalternately against flattened surfaces on the under and upper side ofthe guard ac cordingly as the latter is in open or closed poguard is inclosed or open position; substan- 2 5 tially as and for the purpose setforth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twoWitnesses. GEORGE .Tl. STRONG. In presence of Jos. GAFFNEY, ANDREWANDERSON.

